Crash Into Me
by InSleepHeSangToMe
Summary: As Hermione picks up the pieces that Fred left behind, Draco falls apart in spite of himself. The unlikely friendship grows and becomes something as delicate, fragile, and vulnerable as life itself.
1. You Can Be Matilda

**Crash Into Me.**

**This is my sequel to "Stupified" which I began writing so long ago. If you haven't read Stupified, don't even try to understand this one, it builds upon my storyline. Stupified was a story about Fred, Hermione and the love that I wanted there. This is going to be a Draco and Hermione story about love, loss and falling apart. **

**So here is the Prologue, enjoy Potter Heads ;)**

**A/N - This is JK ROWLINGS, Not mine!**

Ms. Hermione Granger,

I've been impressed by your work initiative and success in both the training of young employees and of your excellent bookkeeping. Because of your impressive work ethic, I (and the rest of the Magical Maladies staff) would like to offer you the position of Chief Unknown Maladies Examiner in the ward of Unknown Maladies.

This promotion includes a significant pay raise and a new office. Your office manager, Tad will still be working under you, but you will also acquire a new assistant whom you may help interview and choose.

We sincerely hope that you will accept this offer.

Many Thanks,

_Roma Flute _

_Magical Maladies Head of Department._

**Hey Hermione,**

**I heard about your promotion through Roma today! I'm surprised that she has a heart. I can't believe that she actually gave a promotion. I'm very pleased for you. This is just a note about what you asked me about this morning. Yes, the divorce is final. I'm sorry to say that Pansy admitted that the baby is not mine, and she will be moving out at the end of the month with a hefty sum of my money. Fantastic right? Thank you so much for your concern, it really means a lot. **

**Take care,**

**Draco.**

_D –_

_I'm so sorry about Pansy. I was actually beginning to like her. Do you know who the father is? I'm sorry if that's insensitive. Yes, Roma gave me a promotion for some reason and we went through about 50 applicants until I chose a junior assistant, Claire. She went to Hogwarts and was 3 years younger than us. It's so strange being in the big office with the huge chairs and examining table, how do you survive in your ward? It's so overwhelming! Again, I'm sorry about your marriage, we always thought it would last. I hope this doesn't mean that you'll be missing the Christmas Party because we always rely on you for the wine; no one picks it like you!_

_H._

**Hermione,**

**What's with the initials? We aren't incognito are we? Because I call the name Jeeves if that's the case. And you can be Matilda. Anyways, I'll be at the Christmas Party with the wine Pansy doesn't take… It's really quite messy. The father has not been confirmed but it's so obviously Blaise, the two of them are already making plans for when she moves out. Don't worry too much, it'll be fine. I'm old enough to deal with it myself, I'm not a child. It's just incredibly annoying that I'm 23 and divorcing a woman that I stupidly married right out of school. I'll see you later, I think we're working on the same case.**

**Thanks for your support.**

**Draco.**

Hermione looked up from the last note and filed it in the back of her new black filing cabinet. She took her notebook out of her purse and stood up to begin her second day as Chief Magical Maladies Examiner.


	2. A Man, A Mother, A Leader

**Crash Into Me.**

**Chapter 2 might not be that much better than chapter 1, storyline wise, sorry. I'm up to my brains in schoolwork and writing calms me down, but I can't write much in these little amounts of time. **

Hermione woke with a start.  
The nightmare had haunted her sleep again that night. It was an awful memory of the battle, the wall falling, and the lost dreams. Hermione sat in bed with her sheets wrapped around her, damp from terrified sweat. The sky outside her rented apartment was still dark, no one was awake yet, and Hermione felt alone and isolated in her nightmarish world.  
She got out of bed and showered before pulling on her work clothes halfheartedly and steeping her tea. As she sipped the bitter drink, her Daily Prophet was delivered by a tawny owl.  
Hermione had stopped reading the Daily Prophet after Fred had died, but she subscribed again when she found his ghost.  
His ghost.  
Hermione knew that the ghost was at Hogwarts, and quite concious, but she went rarely to see him. It.. Because it wasn't the same. The last time she had gone to visit, she had accidentally tried to touch his face as she had a thousand times, but instead her hand made contact with nothing. She laughed it off, but at home she cried for hours before pulling herself together.  
Hermione could never show her grief in public. Everyone would have thought that she had some major trauma from the battle, considering her best friends had been uninjured in the fray. No one understood the true weight of her loss.  
That morning, the Prophet announced the scandal of the year:

_**Malfoy to be a Bachelor?**_

_It has been decided that the woman of the Malfoy Manor, Pansy Malfoy, will be leaving the Manor for unknown reasons. Draco, 23, and Pansy, 23, are parting in an official divorce. Pansy, who is pregnant, will be staying in a hidden shelter as to not attract the attention of the reporters. Worked well, huh? Draco has not disclosed a statement about his future plans or the reasoning behind the split, but we have heard from sources that Pansy is taking with her almost half of Draco's fortune. As for Pansy, she says "The most ridiculous mistake that I have ever made was to marry Draco Malfoy." -_

Hermione closed the paper. She allowed a sigh to escape her lips before dumping the paper in her fireplace to be burned later that night. Another owl stood at her window, tapping the glass patiently. She let the owl inside and took the letter from his leg.

_Hermione,_  
_Ron, Luna, Neville, and George are all coming over tonight for a celebratory dinner in honor of James. He took his first step yesterday! I also haven't seen you in ages! Ron's been going on about how busy you must be, but I think that he's just nervous to see you again after 4 years of being in Romania with Bill and Charlie. Perhaps you would like to stop by for a drink or two before you need to be whisked away to cure every sickness in England? _  
_Anyways, I hope you can drop by._  
_Much love, as always,_  
_Ginny and Harry (and Rose and James)_

Hermione crumpled up the note and let one tear fall. Her best friends were inviting her to come over and celebrate their child's life. Their goddamn child took a step, and they're throwing a goddamned dinner party, she thought angrily before sinking into her couch and hating herself for thinking it. Of course she would go, and she would praise little James as she did with Rose, and she would drink wine with the adults and she would relive past triumphs, and she would see George and remember...  
But first, she had to go to work and forget.

---

"Hermione did you read the Prophet?" Draco closed her office door and sat in her visitors chair. He was aggravated and hadn't shaved ... or bathed, she assumed. "She took HALF of my bloody fortune, which I earned."  
"I read it. Perhaps you should have told her to stuff herself..." Hermione shrugged and continued her case.  
"HERMIONE, I need you to be on my side here. My wife... ex wife" he corrected himself bitterly "is moving into a relationship with BLAISE, my old best friend, and I am alone in a house the size of Hogwarts with nothing. NOTHING" Hermione took time to notice that he had buttoned a wrong button on his shirt, but didn't interrupt.  
"Why are you so worked up about this? Didn't you pray for a divorce every day?"  
"I prayed for her to be hit by a bus, Hermione. It was a loveless marriage, and I resent everything." Draco stopped to breathe before continuing his tirade. "I made love to her ONCE and we were drunk. That is not my child."  
"I believe you, Draco" Hermione stood up and crossed the room. "But the panel didn't."  
Draco showed that famous sneer and threw his pen at the wall. "She is such a bitch. Why would she do this to me, I know that she was head over heels for me in school."  
"Do you care about her, or about your respect and dignity, because I don't think you gave a crap about her wellbeing, Draco?" Hermione placed her hand on his arm. "Either way, I'm very sorry about the whole mess."  
"Thank you. It's been so hectic. I'm trying to diagnose these patients, and not murder Pansy with the candelabra, and it's so lonely when she's not around, and to be honest-" Draco hesitated "I was looking forward to being a father... even if it was under false pretenses."  
Claire knocked on the door softly and Hermione opened it to receive a load of parchment that she'd requested. "Claire would you mind getting me a glass of water and can you tell Ms. Needles that I'll see her now?"  
"I'm drowning" Draco said as Hermione closed the door.  
"No you're perfectly fine. Find a way to make this constructive!" Hermione chocked back the hypocrisy in her statement.  
"Alright. Well have a good session." Draco smiled blankly and left the room.  
Ms. Needles entered and Hermione pointed at the examining table. Ms. Needles sat on the table lightly. "Let me just get your file..." Hermione reached into the back of her filing cabinet where she kept all her old notes and cried secretly.

---

"HERMIONE!"  
Hermione smiled and looked at everyone in the Potter's roomy parlor. Even little James looked excited to see her.  
"Hermione!" This came from the kitchen down the hall where Ginny was with Rose, pouring wine and finishing dinner. Rose smiled her toothy little kid smile and ran down the hall to hug Hermione's leg. Hermione picked up the little girl and hugged her. Rose had been the first person who made Hermione smile fully after the battle.  
Then Ron appeared at the top of the stairs and everyone shifted to subtly watch what would happen.  
"Hey, Ron." Hermione stood awkwardly.  
"Hey.." He looked at her and she knew what he saw. Hermione hadn't changed. He was noticing how everything was exactly how it had been when they were 17 and stupid. He saw her bushy hair, her perfect teeth and her fair complexion. And she saw who he was becoming. His years in Romania had toughened his hands, his arms were muscular and scarred, and his face was broader; more mature.  
She crossed the space in 2 seconds and hugged him as hard as she could. She didn't know this man, anymore, but she hopped that he would still know her.  
"I missed you, Hermione!" Ron's voice was lower. Everything about him had become rugged and deep.  
"I missed you too. When did you get back?"  
"Only a week ago. Ginny's told me all about what you do now, and your promotion..." Ron smiled and became the awkward tall adolescent that Hermione had been so close with in the past.  
"Thanks... It's a really rewarding career - "  
"And I've heard that Fred's a GHOST!?" That was directed at George, who stole a guilty look at me before responding.  
"Yes, actually, Malfoy was the one who found that out about 2 years ago? It's wild, now I know what I'll look like dead!" George had accepted the death of his twin after he saw the ghost. He resolved to visit everyday and that way Fred could still be a part of the shop.  
"No way! Ferret's still around!?"  
"Yea, he works with me" Hermione felt herself saying. "He divorced Pansy. They've been having some drama in the last few months."  
"DINNER" Yelled Ginny from the kitchen. She used the same voice that Mrs. Weasley had always used, it was true that everyone was changing and evolving, into a man, into a mother, into a leader, except for Hermione who found herself exactly where she had been since she was 14.


	3. Paper Weight

**Crash Into Me.**

**Hey so last chapter was really weird because you couldn't see where the new sections began? Because I wrote it in an email to myself … so it wasn't really great. Also, I love reviews, love love love love love, REVIEWS :) So if you have anything to say or suggest or request, I aim to please, so please review. Also, my computer deleted Microsoft word a few weeks ago, and I've been trying to reinstall it… finally.. SUCCESS, so I didn't just forget about you all :)**

**Alright, Chapter 3 begins now. **

**A/N – This is JK Rowling's child, not mine.**

When Hermione got home, slightly fuzzy around the edges, she found an owl knocking against her window. She opened the window and let the owl in; the icicles that had formed around his feathers told her that he'd been outside for ages. "Sorry about that." She apologized before sending him back out.

The letter she received was from Roma, her boss. It was a work summons. It said that when Hermione got the letter she had to report directly to work, as it were it was almost 11 o' clock and she wasn't exactly in the sort of shape to show up at work. But she had to keep her job, so she used the floo network as not to leave an arm behind should she try to apparate in her intoxicated state.

When she arrived in Roma's spotless office, she found herself in the company of Draco Malfoy, his assistant, Tad, Claire, and Roma. "I'm so sorry Roma. I was at a family function." Hermione tried to remain focused as she sat in one of the big chairs.

"Never mind that, here's why you're here. I've noticed problems in the office as a result of personal issues. I've noticed a lag in Mr. Malfoy's work here because of the scandal that his family has created. I've already spoken privately with him about it and we decided that it would be best if he lay low for a while." Hermione looked at Draco uncertainly. He was paler than usual, more strained. She could imagine the amount of pressure and stress was being put on him, not to mention his emotional investment in the whole ordeal.

"So why am I and my team here?" Hermione asked a little too quickly.

"Draco will still be working in his sector but from now on, Hermione, you'll be overseeing his team and signing off on every decision. That way no one can question our decisions." Roma sat emotionless.

"But I'm already in charge of my team and our patients; does this mean that I have to make house calls? I can't stretch that thin!" Hermione paused while a thought washed over her. "And I'm not working overtime without at least a double raise."

"Fine. That's fine. And yes you'll need to make house calls with Draco and his team. Your assistants will stay here and deal with whatever you leave them with while you're gone." No one spoke.

Claire had been standing quietly in the corner of the room with Tad. Now she raised her hand uncertainly. Roma nodded at her brusquely. "I have a family to get back to… every night… I can't stay late, it isn't in me contract."

"Claire. You're 20 years old, what family do you have to care for." Roma was the coldest person Hermione had ever met, and that made her like her work. Without emotions, no one got hurt.

"Me sister died in the war 6 years ago and left her daughter to me… Me husband works late at the ministry." Hermione's breath caught in her chest as she heard this. Everyone had lost someone important.

"Fine, Claire. You will leave when Hermione allows you to. As for you, Hermione, are you going to be alright with this? And Draco? This plan suits your predicament?" Roma didn't really care what the answer was.

"Yes. It's great." Draco shifted.

"It's fine." Hermione didn't have anyone to go home to anyways so it didn't matter how late she was.

Draco and Hermione left the office after the assistants. They stood together in the line to the fireplace in the central wing of the building. Right before Draco threw his floo powder into the fire, he turned and looked at Hermione. "Thank you so much, Ms. Granger."

"It's nothing. You need some rest and less on your plate. You're dealing with a lot."

"No, Hermione, you are too. You have been for 6 years and don't think I haven't noticed that." He shrugged and stood there awkwardly while Hermione said nothing. "We all lost family in that war."

"Yes. We did."

Hermione said this as Draco disappeared into the fire. Somehow it made her feel less alone that everyone else still held the hurt in their hearts, that they all needed to put their pieces back together.

…

The next morning, Hermione's pounding head woke her. It wasn't the alcohol at the Potter's that had given her the hangover; it was the late, emotional, night in her office. She hid under her duvet until she remembered that no one would come in and tell her to quit hiding and come out to work. Reluctantly she got out of bed and mechanically she got ready to face the day ahead.

It was December 17th, only 3 days of official work left until the Christmas holidays, then she would be on call everyday just in case. The office Christmas Party was on the Friday before Holidays and Hermione was always in charge of the apple pie that Mrs. Weasley had taught her to make.

Every year the employees got together and drank too much, the spirit of Christmas was recaptured, and Hermione got swept away in alcohol and sweet reverie. The year before, even Roma had made an appearance at the Malfoy manner and had a drink or two. That year, though, Draco wouldn't be hosting the party; it was a senior partner by the name of Gilles who would be hosting.

Hermione arrived at work early to talk to Claire privately. Claire was sitting outside Hermione's office, her face pale and lined. "Hey, Claire." Hermione unlocked the door and waited for Claire to enter.

"I just wanted to talk to you about when you'll be going home at night. I still have Tad, and Draco, and his assistant… So please don't worry so much because I'd really like you to get home to your family."

"Hermione, that's mighty sweet of you. You don't have to though, I'll hire a sitter."

"Claire. Go home as usual. If you have a family you love, you need to be around them. They need you." Claire didn't move or speak. "Go back to work now." Hermione pointed to the door.

After Claire left her office, Hermione began to plan her day as she lived her life, one hour at a time. She was almost done planning 4 o'clock when Draco came into the office, slammed the door and sat down. Hermione looked up and saw his eyes, bloodshot and tired.

"What did she take from you this time?" Hermione looked at her Daily Prophet to see if the news had covered it.

"Nothing, bloody nothing. But she no longer wants a divorce." Stunned silence. "She wants back into the fortune. The whole fortune. She's trying to persuade me that the baby's mine. THE BABY'S NOT MINE, HERMIONE."

"I get it Draco. It's Pansy who you should be screeching at, not me!"

Draco looked around and clutched his head before bursting into full fledged tears in her office. Hermione smelled something strong and alcoholic. She panicked.

"Draco. Have you been drinking?"

"A little. Nothing too much though, it's all been very hard on me." Hermione stood up and walked around her desk to Draco. She reached out to his face before smacking him right on the cheek.

"Snap out of your little pity party Draco. You're losing a wife, a wife who cheated and stole and who really isn't even all that pretty. You deserve better than that and you know it." Hermione pulled his sweater upwards, in a futile attempt at forcing him out of the office.

"So do I go back to her, or no?"

"Draco, that's the stupidest question I've ever heard. You do not go back to her. You find your own life, and for God's sake you cannot drink in the morning before work. Are you mentally okay?" Draco was standing up slowly, to Hermione's relief.

"YEA!" Draco shouted. "Screw her! She lied to me and stole from me and she doesn't deserve anything." He got up, outraged, as if this thought had never crossed his mind. "Thanks Hermione, you're fantastic." He stepped awkwardly towards her and she felt herself shrink, and then he decided against it and walked away, tripping over the filing cabinet as he left.

…

With Hermione's new work schedule, the days leading up to the party felt like one long continuous hell in which she worked, slept and occasionally talked a distraught Draco down from the proverbial ledge. On the afternoon of the Christmas party, everyone just walked around aimlessly at work, an air of listless excitement hung around the water cooler and the file shelves. Draco, who had been a lot more his old self since the night before (when Hermione ended up throwing a paper weight at him), was even humming to himself as he crossed things off his list to do.

Before she left for the night, Draco stopped Hermione outside of her office to talk to her. "Hey, Mione. I just wanted to apologize for the absolute loony I've been. I was an absolute fool to you, and I'm sure you can't take me seriously anymore." Hermione shook her head dutifully. "I want to make it up to you! Anything you want, it's yours."

"Draco, I don't need anything at all. I'm your friend. That's what friends are for." Hermione scratched her forehead absently and looked at her cracked nails. She hadn't had time to properly take care of herself in years. "Unless you could magically make me look stunning for tonight" She laughed and rummaged for her floo powder.

"Consider it done, 'Mione." Draco smiled. "I can send someone over! Pansy always had loads of people fixing her up so that she'd be beautiful, though that wasn't always the case. Anyways, I can send someone to your flat tonight, if you'd like?"

"Malfoy, I don't need it."

"Granger, if you want it, it's yours." Draco covered his ears. "GO HOME NOW AND I'LL SEND SOMEONE OVER AND I'LL SEE YOU TONIGHT" Draco sang and walked away, smirking his trademark smirk and leaving a vague impression in Hermione's mind that surprisingly, she didn't want to lose.


	4. I Couldn't Have Loved You

**Crash Into Me.**

**Dear people,**

**I love reviews.**

**I love Harry Potter (it's not mine)**

**I also love John Mayer.. So everything might be really sad for a little while. His new CD is all I listen to. And there's this song called "Half of My Heart" (J.M's, not mine) and there's a line that goes : /**_**Half of my heart is the part of a man, who's never truly loved anything./ **_**And that's my inspiration for the chapter.**

**Here's Chapter 4,**

**Love,**

**InSleep **

**A/N – This is JK Rowling's, so not mine.**

Hermione sat at her kitchen table with a glamorous witch in long magenta robes with heavily lined lips and dark eyeshadow. Her peroxide blonde hair sat perfectly on top of her head, held by a crystal clip. Hermione looked at her own jeans and t-shirt and ratty brown hair and felt dull. "So… What shall I wear?" Hermione asked self-consciously.

"What have you got? Any dresses? Or perhaps a skirt with a shirt? And have you any shoes that you haven't been wearing for 10 years straight?" The witch, Elenna, asked her carefully. "And I'll be able to do something with your hair, and you have very nice skin."

"Thanks. I think I have some dresses in the armoire… And some high heels in the front closet that I've never touched." That was the truth; her mother had sent her some ridiculous shoes for her job when it was new and exciting.

"Oh." Elenna ran off to Hermione's room and left her in the welcoming room. Hermione heard Elenna rummaging through the armoire and the dressers, when she arrived back in the main room, she held two dresses and a skirt that Hermione had bought only to satisfy Ginny's orders years ago. She also held a red satin shirt that Hermione wasn't aware that she owned.

"Elenna, is that my shirt?" Hermione asked, feeling foolish.

"God, no." Elenna dove into the front closet and yelled as she banged boxes around. "It's mine, I brought it in case you needed it. Not sure if it'll fit, but it's miles better than anything else you own." She reappeared with Hermione's spiky black shoes hanging around her hand. "These are great. Have you ever worn them?"

"Um, no." Hermione found herself being dressed by Elenna who first made her try the dresses. When it was obvious that Elenna had no time or respect for Hermione's sensible, pastel, summer dresses, it was time to try on the satin shirt and skirt. The skirt was a tight, high-waisted pencil skirt that landed just above Hermione's knees. The shirt was a tight fit in the chest, but was perfect in the shoulders and ribs. Elenna put her hands on her hips and smiled.

"Put on some black tights. That'll have to do Hermione." Hermione obliged, grateful to cover her legs, then found Elenna in the bathroom with make-up and hair creams.

"I think I know what to use on you." Elenna whipped out a bottle of toner and a brush. "Hang on just a second."

It did not take a second, nor a minute, not even an hour. Elenna spent 2 hours on Hermione's make-up and hair before she deemed her work "acceptable". When Hermione saw herself in the mirror, she blushed. Her hair was half swept back and held with pins, the rest was curling dutifully around her shoulders as if it had been born to do it. Her eyes were outlined with dark brown liner and white, green and brown shadows. Elenna had done something to make her cheekbones stand out more than usual and her lips were coated in a perfectly thin layer of pale gloss.

The entire look was flawless and clean. Hermione almost didn't recognize the perfect-looking woman looking back at her in the mirror. A pang of irony struck her in the gut; her outwards perfection contrasted her broken heart. For a moment, Hermione lost her breath.

"Elenna. This is perfect."

"I know, and I wish you luck tonight." Elenna started packing her supplies into a kit with a smile on her heavily made up face.

"Thank you so much."

"It's no trouble. Not for Draco. He must like you a lot, Hermione. He never paid for me to do Pansy's makeup unless they were going to a Malfoy function." Elenna continued her cleaning while Hermione sat in stunned silence. After an acceptable time, she felt a smile creep onto her face, then, amazingly, to her eyes.

**

Hermione arrived at Gilles' house 15 minutes late, and with heavy doubts about her skirt and shirt combination, she knocked on the door. Gilles' wife Margot answered the door and hugged Hermione tightly before ushering her into the cloak room. Margot was one of Hermione's new friends from the office. She was a pristine French witch with porcelain white skin and jet black hair that was always perfectly coiffed. That night she wore a tight green dress with black pumps and a black beret, à la French supermodel. Hermione looked herself over again as Margot hung up her old coat. When Margot turned around, her expression changed dramatically.

"'ERMIONE! You look fantastique!" Margot grabbed Hermione shoulders and turned her around to admire the uncomfortable ensemble. "Look at zes shoes!" Margot knelt to the floor in her fancy clothes and looked at the shoes in detail. "'Ow did you find these? And where!?" Margot's appreciation gave Hermione enough of a confidence boost to actually continue into the sitting room with her colleagues.

"Hermione!" She found herself in a bear hug with Tad, who had the aroma of alcohol in a cloud around his person. "You look amazing!" Tad's eyes rested at the point where Hermione's plunging v-neck joined. "Amazing."

"Hello Ms. Granger!" Tad's wife, Lauren hugged her next, sharing the aroma of alcohol with her husband.

"It's lovely to see you Lauren, Tad." Hermione accepted a glass of champagne from Claire who was looking around nervously in a silver shift dress. The bubbles felt deliciously welcome in Hermione's system, the champagne went a long way to make her feel a little bit less exposed.

Then she saw him.

He was seated against the dark wood wall with an empty champagne flute in his hand. The dozens of people walking in and out of the sitting room didn't seem so daunting when Hermione saw him. Pansy was nowhere to be seen, and Hermione started over but lost momentum and just stood in the middle of the room.

Then he looked up and his expression changed. The look of exasperated sadness was overcome with an expression of surprise and Hermione's face instantly took the same expression. Draco's thundery grey eyes didn't leave her brown ones as he got up and closed the distance between them.

"Hi." Hermione choked out.

He was wearing a deep grey cashmere-looking sweater and black pants. His usually unkempt blonde hair was styled back out of his face. Hermione shifted uncertainly.

"Hermione." Draco's mouth twitched. "You… look incredible."

"For a mudblood, you mean." Hermione's mouth just started talking, as if she had lost control.  
"What are you talking about?!"

"Draco, it's 5th year and I'm tutoring you. I've just turned you down for a second time. I'm a stupid mudblood. I'm a stupid teenager." Hermione tried to drop his gaze but failed.

"You were so alive. I was the stupid teenager. I just wanted to tell you all the time how- Wait, why are you bringing this up?" Draco raised his eyebrows and Hermione could smell not only champagne but something stronger.

"I couldn't love you. There was Fred, and Ron and Harry would never have spoken to me again, not to mention you – How would you have explained that to your family?"

"Hermione, I don't think we should talk about this now." Draco placed his hands on her shoulders softly.

"I never gave you the chance. I couldn't have loved you." Hermione felt words falling out of her heart. "I loved him so much."

"I loved you!"

Hermione shook her head and tried to get out of his hold. "Let's not talk right now." She made it back to the cloakroom where she looked for her coat. She had foolishly started a conversation about something she'd never wanted to touch again.

"Hermione. You said you couldn't love me." Draco stood at the door, filling the cloakroom with heat and confusion. Hermione looked up and dared herself to truly see him. "In the past tense."

"Yes. When you loved me." Hermione dropped her expertly made up eyes.

"You couldn't love me when we were 15. But… What about … now." It wasn't a question. It came out as a dejected sigh.

"I don't know." Hermione regretted saying anything.

"Oh." He crossed the cloakroom in 2 steps and stood above her.

She was going to tell him that she was sorry for ever bringing it up, and that he should just forget everything. Alas, when the words were ready to be formed by her mouth, her mouth was preoccupied.


	5. We're at that Point

**Crash Into Me.**

**Hey Dudes!**

**Writing the last chapter actually gave me chills. Sounds obnoxious, I think. BUT, I loved writing it! I hope you guys enjoyed it ;) **

**So I'm still on a John Mayer kick. Don't expect anything TOO happy. Also, don't be surprised if all of a sudden, a song title appears in conversation.**

**I think I'm moving too fast with these two, but I lovelovelovelove the way this is turning out.**

**Here's Chapter 5,**

**Love,**

**InSleep **

**A/N – It's still JK Rowling's brilliant story, not mine.**

January 5th came too fast for Hermione. She had taken a leave of two weeks from work in order to visit the Potters, Ron, and her parents. She had purposefully 'forgotten' to visit Fred at Hogwarts out of respect for his feelings, or guilt, she wasn't quite sure why.

On her way out of her flat, she made sure to leave the door unlocked for her cleaning service. The flat was long overdue for a deep clean… or even a vacuum. 2 weeks of letting dishes and clothing pile up was not ideal for the cleanliness standard she had set herself.

Upon entering the office, Hermione was pulled to the side by Claire who told her that Roma wanted to see her that day, and Tad, who smiled, blushed, and apologized for his actions at the Christmas party.

Hermione, happy for the first time in years, waved his apology and agreed to see Roma as soon as possible. She tackled the work on her desk and managed to see 4 patients before Roma finally sent the notice that it was time to meet.

When she opened Roma's office door, Hermione knew something was different in her boss. Roma, usually withdrawn and severe, was drinking tea and humming softly. At once, Roma indicated to a chair and conjured a mug of tea into existence. Hermione took her seat quietly and sipped the tea.

"Hermione, so glad to have you back after your break." Roma raised an eyebrow. "You were visiting family and friends for the holiday? I hope that went well!" Hermione smiled and said something generic. "Anyways. Mr. Malfoy is scheduled to return this Wednesday, but I never got to finalize his break with him. He wasn't at the company Christmas party when I arrived." Hermione knew what was coming next. "I've also sent him many owls, all of them were returned. Any idea where he is?"

"Oh, I've no idea Roma!" Hermione smiled. "But I could certainly try to get a hold of him this week!"

"While I think of it, Hermione, you weren't at the party either! Were you sick?" Hermione realized that Roma suspected the worst.

"No, Roma. I was at home. It was a long week and I was sleeping it off. I went home early." _Confused. Scared._ Hermione almost said, but tried to sound neutral.

"Alright, Hermione. Just tell Mr. Malfoy to be at work on Wednesday."

"I'll try!" Hermione itched to stand and run out of the office.

"You _will_" Roma smiled and indicated that she could leave.

Hermione ran back to her office, where she slammed the door and tried to catch her breath. She slouched on the wall to the ground and closed her eyes.

"Hermione?" She jumped up and placed the voice.

"Malfoy, what are you doing here!?" She saw him in her visitor's chair, holding one of the paperweights that Ron had brought home from Romania.  
"Oh… Are you alright." He took in her pale, shocked face and crossed the room to stand close to her. Hermione shook him off and sat down behind her desk. Hurt, he returned to his seat. "You can call me Draco, I think we're at that point."

"Why are you here!!" Hermione exploded.

"Your cleaning lady threw me out!" Draco whispered. "She scared the crap out of me, then she told me to get going! Where else could I go?"

**

_2 weeks prior._

Draco's kiss lasted for a moment. The heat stayed on her lips forever. The cloakroom was small and cramped and Hermione needed air. She grabbed her coat and told Draco to find his. They ran out of Gilles' house into the street and out of sight.

She unlocked her flat and let Draco in before taking their coats to the front hall closet and kicking off her painful shoes. "This is it." She said to him.

"It's lovely." He looked around, dutifully, before turning on her. "How are you. Lightheaded? Buzzed?" Hermione saw his little Draco smirk and decided to get rid of it.

"I'm fine!" She assured him before planting a soft kiss right on the corner of his smirk. "Stop smirking like you're 16 again." She felt his arms embrace her, protectively, she remembered times when Fred embraced her in the same way.

"I am 16 again. We're in the owellry" He murmured into her skin.

"Okay." She was at a loss. He deepened the kiss and he moved her up against her front wall where he moved his hands up to her hair. She thought that she would revert to her place of sadness and seclusion, but she forgot about everything and enjoyed the moment of bliss.

It wasn't until he had moved into her bedroom and was kissing her neck that she found herself saying anything. "Malfoy."

"Draco" He moaned. "Call me Draco. Please."

"Draco?" She touched his face. "We can't do this."

He looked up and confusion crossed his face. "Why not? Pansy and I are done. The divorce papers are in the mail, and I wanted a chance with you" He bowed his head to kiss her collarbone and undo a button on her shirt.

"No. That's not it!" Recklessness rippled through Hermione. "Screw Pansy!" She cried, in pleasure and fear. "Malfoy… I can't. I'm.. I've never… Malfoy I'm a virgin!"

Malfoy stopped and stood. "You and Fred never… really?" He seemed genuinely surprised. "I always heard that the girl he was seeing was wild… I… heard that he was always sneaking out to see her after hours, that they were meeting in the prefect's bathroom…"

"No! Draco, is that why you wanted to be with me?" Hermione pushed him away.

"No! It doesn't matter to me; I just thought that you weren't a virgin." Draco backed away. "We don't have to do anything, Hermione. I'm sorry. I'll go. Where's your fireplace?"

"Malfoy… Draco, please don't." Hermione followed him and put his hand on his shoulder. "I'm just scared." She faltered. "I'm scared that it will never be enough, I'll never be able to get him out of my head… I want to though."

"Hermione," Draco's hair was messy and his sweater was pulled. His pale skin was glowing in the little light from the bathroom down the hall. "We don't have to do anything. We can leave it here."

**

_Present Day_

Hermione sent Draco out to buy groceries while the cleaning service finished her flat. During her time she contemplated visiting Hogwarts. In the end, her heart won and she found herself in the hallways once more of her favourite place in the world.

Fred waited for her in the Great Hall, a smile on his ghostly face. "HEY HERMIONE!" Hermione smiled, guiltily, and approached him. She took in his complexion, his freckles and his dimples. His hair was flopped to one side as per usual, and he wore the same clothes.

"How goes it 'Mione!" He was so good-natured. "How's work?"

"Great." Hermione felt herself shrink. He didn't want her with Draco; he wanted her to find a better man.

"What's wrong, sweet?" He looked at her, worriedly. He couldn't touch her. He couldn't comfort her.

**

_2 weeks prior._

Hermione woke up in the morning wrapped in the arms of Draco. His warm skin felt delicious on hers. After years of avoiding human contact and steering clear of men, she finally felt the warmth of a man's body against her own. One of his hands was wound in her hair and the other was stroking her back softly. She didn't need to look down to see that she was wearing her nightgown, and Draco was wearing his briefs.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"For what?" Draco's breath warmed her face.

"For last night." Hermione realized that it sounded shallow. "For everything. Thank you, Draco."

Draco held her closer to himself, and Hermione felt herself drift off again. "Thank _you_, Hermione."

**

_Present day_

"Listen, Fred, I might be seeing someone." Hermione's mouth said.

"Oh. That's great Hermione!" Fred smiled, genuinely, and laughed.

"You won't like who it is."

"It's okay if it's Ron, it's fine. He's family." Fred winked. "Don't tell me, NEVILLE!" He laughed.

"No. Fred, I should get back." Hermione smiled quickly and gathered her bag before turning on her heel and getting out. She heard Fred ask who it was, but she couldn't face him. She loved him.

**

_2 weeks prior._

Once they were both awake, Hermione made a quick breakfast and they sipped tea on her couch, covered by a blanket. "It still hurts." Hermione whispered; her eyes watery.

"I know." Draco answered, kissing her head. "I know what it's like to lose a loved one." He continued looking out the window at the street below. "You just have to keep living."

"It's hard though. How can you just… be okay!" She shook her head.

"I'm not, Hermione. You know that. Pansy's leaving me with half of my fortune and someone else's baby. My father's dead, my mother is gone." Both sets of eyes misted. "I don't have friends like you Hermione. I never had friends like you."

She sipped her lukewarm tea. "You should go home soon. Harry is coming over with Ron and Ginny."

"I don't want to go home, Hermione. I can't really go home right now. Pansy's there." Draco continued to look out, indifferent.

"Oh." Hermione threw caution to the wind. "Stay here then. Just clear out when they come over. You could grocery shop." Hermione had a thought, but kept it to herself. She felt bad enough making him leave for a couple of hours from her own flat.

The rest of the day was spent under the blanket in the sitting room, mostly in silence. They were in their own little worlds after the platonic friendship had exploded. Mid-afternoon, Draco got up and got dressed, ready to go home to collect some belongings before returning for the evening.

"I'll see you later, then." Hermione wasn't sure what to do and how to say goodbye. Neither did Draco, who awkwardly patted her shoulder and left. Hermione busied herself by cleaning the house and removing any evidence of the visitor.

In no time, Harry, Ginny and Ron were knocking on her door. Harry was carrying a take-out bag and Ginny had an expensive bottle of wine; Ron carried flowers. Hermione gratefully accepted the flowers and wine as Harry set up the table for dinner.

"Where are the kids?" Hermione asked Ginny, ready for conversation.

"George is babysitting for the night." Ginny sat down at the table. "So we shouldn't be too long. It scares me to think that my treasures are in his care." Ron had already begun to tuck in and Harry poured the wine, skipping Ginny.

"Hey, Gin. Why aren't you drinking?" Hermione asked; the tone of excitement obvious in her voice.

"Well we were going to wait until Christmas dinner to announce, but you and Ron should know first." Ginny and Harry smiled. "We're having baby number three." Ron nearly chocked, but Hermione had been expecting it.

"Congrats, guys!" Hermione got up to hug them both.

Inside, Hermione wasn't as happy as she acted. Every time Ginny and Harry announced a pregnancy, Hermione had to sit back for 9 months while the world revolved around them. She couldn't help but feel alone during the time when the Potters expanded their family further.

At the end of their visit, Ron stayed behind to talk to Hermione privately.

"You seem well, Hermione." How had a friendship that was so strong turned into a casual conversation in Hermione's front room?

"I am, quite well, actually." Hermione opened the door to let Ron out.

"I was wondering, Hermione, if you wanted to do something sometime." Hermione opened her mouth and closed it again. "Just the two of us?"

"Maybe." Hermione found herself answering. She knew that if she talked about Draco, Ron would tell everyone else. Hermione would lose her family. "Listen, I'm exhausted and slightly hungover from last night, Ron. I'll talk to you this week." Hermione kissed his cheek and watched him walk away.

**

Draco stayed at her flat for the whole holiday, leaving only once when Pansy's family invited him to spend one last Christmas in their mansion, which was all the better. Hermione didn't want to have to bring him to the Weasley's Christmas dinner at the Burrow.

When she went away to visit her parents at the end of her two week break, Draco stayed in her flat. When she returned, she expected to find her flat bare, Draco having gone home or something. She entered into the front hall and immediately the smell of turnips hit her. She knew they were turnips because they were her favourite root vegetable, a food that she'd known forever.

"Draco?" She called hesitantly.

Instantly his white blonde hair appeared, followed by his pale, pointed features. "Hermione! You're early!" He walked towards her awkwardly, as though he had never been in the house before. He kissed her forehead softly.

Since the Christmas Party night, they had not dared to kiss or sleep in the same room. Hermione realized that more than anything, she wanted to feel his warmth again, but she didn't know how.

"What is this?" Hermione ventured to ask. She tried to get into the kitchen, but Draco blocked her path.

"I've made you a proper dinner! Using magic, of course, but I think I got everything right. Pheasant, turnips and broccoli… I remember what you told me you loved…" He smiled. The uncharacteristic action threw Hermione slightly, and she still wasn't sure she was awake when he sat her down at her table with a steaming plate of food. He sat opposite her and lit a candle.

"Fancy." Hermione mused. "I've never eaten like this in my own house before."

"Oh?" Draco poured himself something from a decanter. "Firewhiskey? It's my old favourite… I can't get enough."

"Yea, why not!" Hermione held out her glass to receive the foaming drink.

The dinner was a long pleasurable affair that reminded Hermione of older times at Hogwarts when she couldn't stop laughing at her friends, and she couldn't eat enough. After her third glass of firewhiskey, Hermione decided to go to bed, her head was light, her body was heavy, and she felt heavenly.

She stuck her head into the kitchenette to see Draco, his back to her, washing their plates. "Thank you so much, Draco. It was wonderful." She near-sang in drunkenness.

"No problem, Granger. I'll see you in the morning."

"Dracoo" she approached his back slowly. "I'm going to bed."

"Great" he turned and leaned against the countertop to take in her drunken state, his own eyes glazed with firewhiskey. "See you tomorrow."

"No." She giggled and couldn't stop herself. She found herself reaching up to kiss him softly. He rested his hands on her waist while she cupped his face in both of her small hands. "You can come with me." She whispered against his open lips.

So, he did.


	6. Why Are You Touching My Face

**Crash Into Me.**

**I should be studying.**

**I should be studying.**

**But I'm not. Not at all. **

**Someone tell me to study.**

**Please review. Please ;)**

**Here's Chapter 6,**

**Love,**

**InSleep **

**A/N – It's still still JK Rowling's brilliant story, not mine.**

Ron sent Hermione an owl a week after she returned to work. Draco was back to living in his own mansion and Hermione had her flat back to herself as she read the letter from her former best friend.

_Hermione,_

_I know it's been a long time since we last had a long talk or anything._

_Hell, I don't think we've ever really… talked, just the two of us._

_What I'm trying to say is that I think maybe we should get together._

_Are you going to be at Neville's party on the weekend? He said he invited you._

_Perhaps I could take you. _

_Think about it._

_Ron._

Hermione sat still with the note on her table. She didn't know what to do. Her relationship with Draco had intensified after the night he'd cooked for her. She'd slept with him that night and the next night. And the next night. She realized that he couldn't live in her flat because she couldn't get anything done; so she sent him back to his house for a while. She saw him every day at work, and then he came back to her house for drinks and conversation. She felt like a normal woman for once, enjoying a drink with a possible boyfriend or lover, she wasn't sure.

Hermione knew that Draco was not planning on attending Neville's get-together, and neither was she. But it was Ron, and she felt like she owed him something. Grudgingly, she wrote back to Ron on the bottom of his letter.

_Ron-_

_Sounds fun. I'll meet you there though. _

_See you soon,_

_Hermione._

***

"I'm going to Neville's on Saturday." Hermione told Draco on the Monday night after work. Draco was sitting on her couch with a mug of tea and some files from work. Hermione herself was at the kitchen counter cleaning some dishes and enjoying the sounds of Draco working away. "Ron's asked me."

"Like, a date? Hermione? I thought we had established that this is kind of a relationship." Draco smiled, joking. "Ah, go if you must, but make sure you're back by midnight." Another smile.

"Seriously, Draco. He's asked me out and I don't know. I said I'd meet him there." Hermione noticed that he had stopped working and was reclined sleepily.

"Seriously, Hermione. It's fine. I think it's nice. I just won't be there! Not that that would be the best time to tell all you're friends about us."

"When will we?" Hermione asked suddenly.

"When will we…?" Draco repeated.

"Tell everyone. My parents. Friends. Your friends." Hermione finished with the dishes and crossed the room to sit with him.

"I don't know. I hadn't thought of that. I was just hoping we wouldn't have to." Hermione playfully pushed his shoulder. "Maybe in a month. Just to make sure you and I are getting along."

"Alright." Hermione leaned in to kiss him. "I'm absolutely wiped. I think I'm going to head to bed. If you want to stay over, you can. If not, just make sure you lock the door when you leave." She got up and rubbed his shoulder absently, then made her way to her bedroom.

After she had brushed her teeth and slipped on one of Draco's shirts that he regularly left at her house, Hermione came into her room to find a sleepy Draco lying on her bed, still dressed. She crossed the room and looked at him as he dozed. All the traces of sadness and stress were wiped from his face while he slept; he looked peaceful and quite beautiful. She got into bed beside him and kissed his forehead before falling asleep.

***

Hermione was once again called in to Roma's office that week. Draco was present as well. The couple had been arriving together and Draco usually in the same work clothes. However they worked spectacularly hard and were finishing their cases with such speed, their coworkers wondered about how much magic could actually accomplish.

"Hello Ms. Granger, Mr. Malfoy." Roma smiled her cold, hard smile/grimace.

"Good morning Roma." Hermione answered.

"Hello Roma." Draco nodded cheerfully.

"I think we all know why we're here today. I've noticed that you two leave together and come to work together on a regular basis." Roma plowed through the issue. "I want you two to know that inner office relations are not, by code, allowed in this sector."

"Roma, I don't think you understand!" Hermione said, keeping a smile plastered on her face.

"What don't I understand? Draco leaves with you and comes back in the same clothing in the morning. It's clear where he's stayed the night. I'm quite disappointed."

"No, he stays at my house on occasion because he and Pansy have been going through a lot and he can't stay in his own mansion." Hermione lied through her teeth.

"Yes, it's been an awfully stressful time. Hermione's been kind enough to lend me her sofa so that I don't have to go home every night." Draco backed up her story seamlessly.

"Draco, Hermione, cut the crap." Roma snapped.

Hermione looked at Draco and they exchanged expressions of anxiousness.

"I know that you two have something going on and I was going to tell you that if you played down the relationship a little bit, or got married, which is improbable, you could continue the relationship." Roma waited for no reply. "This is only because both of your work performances have improved exponentially. And I think it's directly related to your relationship. So, I supposed if you keep it quiet, you may continue these shenanigans."

"Thank you Roma." Hermione said evenly.

"You both may leave now." Roma did her hand dismissal thing and went back to work.

Hermione and Draco smiled at each other and left, parting at the door.

***

Saturday came much too quickly for Hermione's liking and she found herself waking up in his pale arms in her bed. Her plan to live alone had gone by the wayside, and Draco had slept over every night that week.

"Good morning." Draco murmured into her bushy hair.

"Morning." Hermione murmured into his chest.

"Hermione?" Draco's eyes were far away; out her window and into the street below. His gaze was in a different world from her own, which was fixed on his perfectly sharp jaw.

"Yes." Hermione sighed.

"Let's live together." Draco was still in his own world, but a blush creeped into his pale skin.

"We basically do. You're coming over here every night. Just move in full-time." Hermione laughed at the suggestion.

"No." Draco's blush deepened. "I want to buy us a house. Not my mansion, but not this little flat." Hermione understood the risk he was taking, and she dared to take the leap. "We could live together together."

"We." Hermione mused. "What is we exactly?"

"We're lovers. Or we're in a relationship. Or we can just be friends. We're whatever you want to be, Hermione." His gaze was back in her room, on her face.

"That's such a huge commitment." Hermione heart leapt. It wasn't a good feeling, she didn't know if she wanted to leave all of Fred behind. If she moved in with Draco somewhere, Fred was over and gone, and she was admitting it. There would be no country home with little redheaded babies about, no Weasley/Granger family.

"We could move in together later in the year. Not straight away." Draco leaned in close to her face, and it was only the two of them in the world.

"Okay. Let's." Hermione closed the space carefully and kissed him. "You know. You never cease to amaze me, Draco."

"I love it when you say my name. It reminds me who I am." Draco whispered. "Sometimes I forget that I'm not just a shell. I don't actually remember who I am." He brought his arm up to look at.

The ugly dark mark shone on his forearm. Hermione tried to forget about it while they were together at night, but in the morning it was hard to deny. He had once been a Death Eater. Her breath caught as she looked at it, her pulse raced with the memory of her days at Hogwarts.

"You're Draco. You're the moron who kissed me in the owellry, when I knew who I loved, and it wasn't you." She grasped his forearm. His faced contorted. "But now you're the man that I gave myself to. You're the man who I find myself more and more attracted to everyday." She rubbed his arm, trying to erase the memory. "You're the man I choose now. And that's all that matters." She kissed him, hungrily. "You're the man I want."

"Hermione." He stopped her. "You're the woman I've always wanted, no matter how much I tried to hide it from you, from Potter, Snape… from me." He kissed her back. "I always thought that we could be so explosive, but you loved him. And now, we're both broken and we're both hurt." He wiped away her fresh tears. "And we're both in this life thing together." He looked at his forearm with hatred. "You're the woman I want."

***

The couple emerged from Hermione's bedroom around 3 in the afternoon. Hermione fixed some tea and proceeded to get herself ready for Neville's dinner party. Ron told her that Harry, Ginny, Luna, Hannah, Parvati and Padma, Lavender, Seamus, Dean and Cormac would all be there. Hermione marveled at the diversity of the guest list and wondered how Neville had picked such different schoolmates. Draco had also been invited, but he had declined because he was not a fan of the social gatherings that Neville hosted. He found it painful to remember what he had done to those people.

Hermione looked through her clothing and settled on her Christmas skirt with a modest blue top. She wore black boots and tied her hair into a bun. Before she left, she kissed Draco and realized that she was in very deep with feelings for him. She left him in her flat with his file folders and a fresh kettle of tea.

When she got to Neville's, everyone had arrived except Ron. She half hoped that he wouldn't show up, and that she'd have the night off from forcing best friend talk with him.

As if on cue, Ron arrived with wine for Neville and a huge bundle of flowers for Hermione. Hermione accepted them and the kiss on the cheek from Ron graciously, but couldn't help feeling that he was trying to hard on a lost cause.

Of course, Neville had set Hermione and Ron together for dinner, and Hermione feared the awkward conversation that would ensue. She gratefully took every drink that came her way, and even took Luna's pink liquid that tasted like root beer. Luna revealed to Hermione afterwards that it contained more than triple the alcohol content of firewisky.

Dinner itself was lamb and potatoes, a typical stodgy Neville meal, but Hermione enjoyed it immensely. Conversation with Ron flowed easily and Hermione came to realize that Ron had grown up and they were both at a point where their conversation was not bickering or rude, it was pleasant and stimulating. Of course Hermione was piss drunk and Ron wasn't much better.

After dinner, the guests milled around the house and caught up with their friends and former classmates. Cormac told Hermione that he regretted never being able to have a future with her, and Lavender asked Hermione if they could have a truce. Hermione laughed at the fact that Lavender was still bitter about Ron, when she was married to a successful muggle who had swept her off her feet after the war.

Just then, Hermione overheard Padma and Seamus talking about Draco.

"-heard he's got himself a new gal already!" Seamus spluttered. "'Ow's that fair!? I wait years for a girl and don't get one, 'E gets two over the course 'a 2 months!"

"She must be special, though." Padma's methodic voice intervened. "He's a picky man. Very fickle and cold too. I know Pansy never saw him and they never actually… well… made love during their marriage."

"WHA!" Seamus cried. "Married for four years they were, Draco was only 19 when they got married, you'd have thought he woulda wanted something from 'er!"

Hermione's buzz faltered as she subconsciously put together that Malfoy had been a virgin too. She put it away in her mind and went over to sit with Ron. "Hey there best friend." She giggled and put her arm around his neck. "Remember in 6th year when Lavender woved you?"

"Yea! That was great. I only dated her because I wanted you, 'Mione!" He laughed and transformed before Hermione's eyes. The red hair, freckly complexion, the way he'd called her 'Mione in that loving, joking way. Her smile melted off her face and she saw Fred sitting beside her, not Ron.

She touched his face curiously and to her surprise, the Fred imposter was all there.

"Uh, Hermione?" Ron moved her hand. "Why are you touching my face?"

"To make sure you're real." She said softly to the makeshift Fred.

"Yea, I'm real Granger!" Ron laughed again. "So what do you say? I'll drop you off at home?" He started to get up. "I'm absolutely exhausted."

"Sure." Hermione followed Ron out of the parlor and into the dining room to use the fireplace. "Why not?" She smiled and stepped into the fire.


	7. Leave The Blue Shirt

**Crash Into Me.**

**Done exams. No big deal. I have a 5 day weekend in which I can write a couple more chapters of this. Then I have calculus and physics, so maybe none for a longtime. Chapter 7 will upset you all, hopefully. I also just realized that my story sounds a little like A Fine Frenzy's "Near to You." Look it up;)**

"_**I'm**__**battle scarred/ I am working oh so hard to get back to who I used to be.**_**"**

**Without further ado, Chaptire Sept. **

**Love,**

**InSleep **

**A/N – This all belongs to Rowling, not me.**

Hermione woke up in a strange apartment on a strange couch. She knew she was still wearing the clothes from the previous night's festivities, but she couldn't place her whereabouts. A kettle was screaming somewhere in the flat and her pounding headache was intensified.

She got up and wrapped the blanket around her before shuffling towards the excruciating noise.

She checked in a doorway, her eyes squinting in the morning light. All of a sudden she knew exactly where she was. "Ron?" she recognized the red hair and broad shoulders. His face was facing the opposite way, out the window, while he cleaned dishes at his sink.

"'Mione!" He turned and smiled. "Good morning!"

Hermione's stomach sank and she rubbed her eyes. "What happened last night?" She dared to ask the question that landed her in his flat.

"Nothing.. I tried to drop you at home but you insisted that you come over here for a little while to talk…" He took a breath and tried to stop, but Hermione wouldn't let him.

"What HAPPENED, RON?" She asked hysterically.

"You were so drunk… you called me Fred once, which was really funny since you two never really got on." He smiled. "Then you kissed me, but that's it… You fell asleep on the couch, so I let you sleep there."

Hermione let the memories of the night wash over her. She wanted to be with Fred again, and Ron was the closest thing to it. She remembered pulling him close and kissing him softly. But the kiss wasn't right so she stopped. It wasn't caring and beautiful like Fred, or hungry and driving like Draco. The kiss was just there, there was no chemistry, and there were no sparks. She remembered lying down and sleeping to avoid the panic welling in her chest.

Hermione left the kitchen to retrieve her shoes. "I'm leaving Ron!" She called. "I'll talk to you soon." She apparated into her own flat before Ron could leave the kitchen to follow. She knew it was wrong, but everything was so wrong already.

"Hermione?" Draco's voice was thick and tired.

Her flat was dark, except for the light coming from behind the blinds. "Why are you sitting all alone in the dark Draco!" She put on a smile and opened the blinds slowly, to prolong the inevitable question. Draco was lying on her couch without blankets or a pillow.

"Where were you all night?" Draco sat up and instantly she knew that he wasn't okay with the situation. "I popped by Neville's but you weren't there." His voice rose. "Then I overheard someone gossiping about you and Ron leaving together… Where did you GO?" He was almost yelling.

"Draco, calm down!" Hermione tried to sound casual. "I couldn't get home so I slept at his flat for the night." _And tried to shag him_. She silently said. She tried to straighten up her front room for no other reason than she felt guilty.

"Hermione, what did you do there!?" He asked. His expression switched from angry to horrified.

"Nothing, Draco. I promise. You're the only person I would pursue relationships with. You know that." Hermione couldn't bring herself to say "have sex with" or "love."

"I don't know why, but I feel like this has to do with, oh, Ron's brother? The only guy I've ever heard you say that you loved?" Draco's expression switched again. "Were you drunk?"

"Perhaps. I can't remember the exact happenings…" Hermione was singlehandedly ruining the only relationship she had. And she knew it.

"Damn it Hermione!" Draco clenched his jaw. "Why are you doing this!? You told me you just wanted to talk to him."

As much as nothing had happened, Hermione knew it was a weak case to fight, as she had arrived home at 8am the morning after a party with her ex best friend in the clothes she'd worn the night before. The whole situation did not look promising.

"It's hard, you know, to lose your fiancée." Hermione snapped. "I didn't DO anything with Ron!"

"How do I know that? You know you have the perfect guise. You aren't formally attached to me, so no one knows, and you can pretend to be all innocent to me because he's your best friend. I know what he wants!" Draco exploded. "Why else won't you tell anyone about us!?"

"It has nothing to do with that!" Hermione cried. "I'm scared."

"I don't care anymore. I'm done with this argument." Draco sneered. "I lost a wife, Hermione, and in a much less noble way."

He walked into Hermione bedroom and she felt herself following him and screaming. "You can't just STAY HERE. I'm LETTING you live here, and you question my FIDELITY TO YOU!?" He sat down on the bed and put his hands over his face.

"Leave me alone, Hermione."

"No, I think NOT!" She continued, tears falling down her face. "LEAVE!"

He looked up and cocked his head to the side. "Excuse me?"

"Take your belongings, and leave." Her voice came out cool and dangerously low.

"Fine!" Draco's chin stuck out defiantly and for a moment, they were 13 again. "Goodbye." He waved his wand and his belongings began to soar into his empty suitcase.

"Leave the blue shirt." Hermione ordered. "I love that one." She felt foolish, but she wanted it.

"No." Draco picked up the blue shirt and put it away very carefully.

With that, he left her flat. Hermione fell onto the bed and cried. She cried until she thought she was completely dry. Then she drank a glass of water and cried some more.

At some point during the afternoon, she sent her owl to Roma's office with a note saying that she would be missing days for personal reasons. She knew she couldn't face him, especially at work. Some time later, Roma sent the owl back with a reply that included the question "will Draco need this time off too?" Hermione sent a single word back. No.

In the morning, Hermione would wake up, make herself some tea, and return to bed to cry. At noon, she would take a bath and cry. In the evenings she would make toast and cry. Then she would retire to bed and cry until she fell asleep.

Cry for what? She wondered. And she didn't know. Although her yearning for Fred had subsided, she knew that she missed him everyday. It was a combination of the loss of her first true love, her ex best friend's presence, and perhaps the worst bit was losing Draco over a misunderstanding. She realized that she did like him quite a lot, and she felt attached to him. Losing him in one fell swoop was not worth the momentary high with Ron.

Hermione punched her pillow and bit her lip.

She found herself in a familiar situation, but she didn't know what to do.


	8. Covered In Scars I did Nothing to Earn

**Crash Into Me.**

**This chapter won't be long.**

**Sorry.**

**Here's the deal: REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW.**

**That's all.**

**Love,**

**InSleep.**

**(DISCLAIMER – Still not mine, J.K. Rowlings')**

Hermione returned to work two weeks after the run in with Draco and Ron. She found that she wasn't in the least surprised that Draco had stopped working and was on an indefinite leave. She tried to ignore the pain she felt as she completed her daily tasks with a smile on her face.

Her flat had been quiet and sad without Draco's imposing maleness. Hermione missed the clothes tossed across her floor and the shoes in her foyer. Everything was too clean and too calm for her liking.

She missed him the most at night when she slept alone with her back to her closet and her eyes staring blankly out her window. Simply, she felt lost without him. Their whirlwind romance had been building since they were 16 and right at the epitome of their lust, Hermione had lost him.

The second day she was back at work, Hermione decided to go to Hogwarts and face her ghost. He was waiting as usual, in the Great Hall. She sat at the long bench and waited for him to speak first.

"So." He started. "Who is it?"

"What are you talking about?" Hermione feigned disinterest.

"The man who you love." Fred whispered with a smile, as if she should have known what he was talking about.

"I don't even know what you're talking about." Hermione's eyes began to fill with tears, the pearly tears that matched Fred's consistency.

"Come on." He tried to reach out, and then remembered that he was a ghost.

"You'll laugh."

"Well what happened then."

"We were fine." Hermione gulped for air. "And then I did something stupid because I was incredibly drunk…" she paused "and I thought of you." The tears overflowed and traced long salty lines down her cheeks.

"What did you do..?" Fred's face was tortured, his soft features twisting.

"Nothing. I fell asleep in someone's apartment, but I never did anything with him."

"Ron's apartment, he told me." Fred raised his eyebrows. "He was happy. He thought you wanted to be with him." Silence. "Now I see that you were only thinking about me. That'll crush him."

Hermione registered the humor but didn't respond. Something else was on her mind.

"Fred I really have to go." Hermione stood slowly.

The magnificence of Fred's body still caught her off guard as he "stood" beside her, her eyes only reaching his collarbone. "Who is it, Hermione? I mean, if he's not… dead…" A smile crossed Fred's face. "…then why shouldn't you go after him? You still love him." He stated that.

"I can't tell you."

"Hermione, you want to tell someone, I can see that."

She fell against the bench and collapsed with her head in her hands, her hair cascading over her face as the tears increased. "I was so stupid!" She sobbed.

"Who is it?" His voice was directly above her face, his ghostly shape beside her.

"M-M-Malfoy!" She cried violently.

"Oh." Fred listened to the bawling and sat quietly.

"I was so dumb to think that maybe he could be the one that would make this feel less awful, all the time!" The clouds in the sky opened and rain fell onto the roof of the Great Hall. "HOW APPROPRIATE!" She screamed. "Why do I live this life!? Why can't it be easier?"

At that point, a little Hufflepuff first-year entered the Great Hall and took in the scene in front of him. He retreated slowly and vanished around the corner. Fred chuckled and took the chance to talk to the distracted Hermione. "'Mione. I love you. And I always will." He whispered. "But you love him now. You loved me once, and I believe that you were going to start a family with me, but now you need to find him. You love him."

"I can't. He's gone. I've ruined it."

"You are holding on to who you used to be, and you're holding on to me, Hermione. I never wanted that for you." Fred smiled. "You deserve to have what you want. You deserve something right. So go get it."

"Okay." Hermione doubted the possibility of ever talking to Draco again, but she had to agree or she'd be there all night. "I have to go."

The Great Hall was silent except for her footsteps as she made her way out of the castle. She returned to the hospital and locked herself in her office. There, she cried until Claire knocked on the door to let her know that everyone was leaving.

On her way out of the office, she overheard Tad and Claire talking about Draco.

"Heard he went back to Pansy. They're back in the mansion!"

"No, I didn't think he'd ever go back to her!"

"Well someone has been living in the mansion recently."

"What happened to him and Hermione? I always thought that one of them would have to switch departments, they seemed VERY close."

Hermione pushed the office doors open and practically ran home.

**

Three weeks later, she found herself outside his mansion. She rang the bell on the gate leading to the driveway. A crackly voice answered. In an instant she knew it was him. "I can't see who it is. Mind telling me?" The arrogant, rude tone was harsh, but more welcome than nothing.

"It's Hermione. Please let me in, I know I've been awful and immature, but we need to fix this!" Nothing happened. "Please! Draco, I need to talk to you, I can't keep going like this I-" The gate started to open.

"It's pathetic, you standing at my gate, begging." His harshness wasn't genuine, Hermione realized. It was covering up another tone in his voice. She walked in through the gates and started her way up to the house.

She had no idea why she had come to his mansion this late at night. She knew that she wanted to talk to him, but she couldn't bring herself to admit what she wanted to say so desperately. She didn't know how to bring up the subject, and she didn't want to be a fool.

The door was large and solid, no windows in sight. Hermione knocked softly and heard someone on the other side, unlocking bolt after bolt. She clasped her hands tightly in front of her.

When he finally opened the door, Hermione lost control. He looked awful, his hair was dirty and he was wearing pants without a shirt. "What do you want, Granger?" His eyes gave him away. They were stormy, darker than Hermione remembered, and she knew that the look of depression was mirrored on her own face.

"Draco I came here because I really had to tell you - "

"Yes?"

"Stop making it hard for me!" She cried, looking anywhere but his pale, pointed face.

"What, Granger!"

"Draco, I wasn't going to tell you, but I… you… I need you tell you…" Hermione took a breath.

"Draco. I love you."


	9. I've Missed This Bed

**Crash Into Me.**

**Anything other than "yes" is "no".**

**Anything other than "stay" is "go".**

**Anything less than "I love you" is lying.**

**Love,**

**InSleep.**

**(DISCLAIMER – Still not mine, J.K. Rowlings')**

_The Daily Prophet called it the "Biggest Scandal This Side of Britain" and it sold for 3 weeks straight before something else caught the eye of the audience. A brunette was seen entering the Malfoy Manor late at night on a weekday, and hours later, the brunette and Mr. Malfoy himself were spotted running off the premises holding hands and laughing._

***

_That Night_

Hermione recognized the voice before the shape took form. No sooner had her words come out of her mouth, when she heard the high pitched, whining voice calling Draco back to bed.

"Pansy." She spat in a half whisper. "Really? You're going back with her, really?"

Draco ran a hand through his hair. His face, Hermione noted with grim satisfaction, was sallow and gaunt. "Hermione, it's not like that, she's only back for a few days." Draco laughed. "Not that I should be explaining myself to you, should I? Not after your run in with the Weasley."

Hermione shook her head. "I only want to apologize for that, nothing happened, but I guess if this is what you do in retaliation…" She stopped short for words and clenched her fists tightly at her sides. "I'll be on my way."

Halfway down the driveway, Draco caught up with her. He walked barefoot down the cobblestone driveway and he still hadn't found a shirt to wear. "Hermione!" He whispered and tried to grab a hold of her shirt. "I'm not finished explaining!"

"Draco, you are a bastard, and you have no heart. You don't need to explain, because you CLEARLY didn't do anything. Just invited your ex wife to live with you again in your gigantic estate, hoping, desperately that the baby doesn't come out BROWN, because wouldn't that RUIN YOUR PERFECT LIFE." Hermione started to cry, the tears, warm and salty, rolling down her cheeks. "And you know what, if something goes wrong, it's all okay because you know what to do! YOU CAN JUST DRINK AWAY YOUR PROBLEMS! Don't worry about a fucking THING, Draco. NOTHING. Because while you two are canoodling in the flames of remembered love, I'll be putting everything back together again!"

Draco's face was still and tired. His grip on her arm relaxed slightly and Hermione noticed that there were tiny, glistening tears forming in the corners of his eyes. "Hermione."

"Draco."

"I think that maybe we should forget about each other."

"I see."

"Shall we part, then?" Draco's face was close to Hermione and she saw all the lines of stress and worry that she had never observed before.

"No."

The word shook Draco, and she could tell from the flinch in his jaw muscle that he was fighting back a major reaction. "I don't want to part; I don't want to miss you. I just told you that I love you, and I do. I care so much about you." Silence followed her speech.

"She's staying with me because Blaise dumped her. She's alone. And she was asking me to take her water." Draco sighed. "And Hermione, we're still married."

"You told me you were divorcing her."

"We're getting a divorce. But in loving you, I broke my wedding vows. You know that right?" Draco had shifted and now stood comfortably caressing Hermione's arm where he had gripped, just moments ago. Hermione nodded. "Then you know that I love you, but I can't just pretend that the Ron thing didn't happen."

"I don't remember it, Draco. I don't want to."

"Hermione, I've been drinking scotch all afternoon. It's almost midnight and I'm having some difficulty remembering things myself. However, let me tell you that…" Draco paused for a moment. "I don't know what happened and what's going to happen, but I love you too." Too suddenly, his face was inches from hers and she smelled the scotch on his breath. "Please just kiss me."

***

_Present Day_

Hermione smiled every time she saw the news story and tried to play innocent to the whole thing. Draco merely nodded and shrugged when the rendezvous was brought up. He had moved back into her flat, and needless to say, the divorce had been settled and quickly. Draco sold the manor to Pansy who had taken it gladly.

***

_That Night_

Draco and Hermione entered her flat and kicked their shoes off in a hurry. She turned to him and grabbed his coat in her fists, bringing him near to her. He closed the space and she felt his surprising warmth against her body. They deposited their outerwear on the furniture, and without breaking contact, stumbled through the dark flat to the bedroom.

"I've missed this bed." Draco murmured against her lips as they settled in the pillows.

"I've missed you in this bed."

The darkness was nothing compared to the heat and light that the couple created. Inside her pocket of illumination, Hermione could see everything clearer than she had been able to for months.

Later in the night, Hermione was awoken by her own thoughts. She held back sobs as she realized how she had hurt her best friends, and how she had cheated the one thing that she had had that was good. The dawning realization of time disturbed her and she resolved to visit the Potters and their beautiful children as soon as she could. The moments in her life wouldn't slip by her again.

"Hermione? You awake." Draco sensed the shift in consciousness.

"A little bit awake." Hermione turned to face his solid, white chest.

"We could tell people." He said casually. "I mean, if you wanted to… It wouldn't be so heinous now to admit that we're together."

"I'd like that Draco, but could we wait a little bit longer?" Visions of the reactions they'd receive reverberated through her mind. "And what about work?"

"We could sort that out, Hermione." He breathed evenly for a while before continuing. "You know, I'd love to buy us a house. A real sold, big, welcoming house. Not the manor. One that would only be for you and me."

"Okay." Hermione smiled and nestled further into his arms. "I'd love that."


	10. I Give You Unlimited Time

**Crash Into Me.**

**There was a spelling error in the last chapter.**

"**Sold" in the last few sentences, yea it was supposed to be "solid", so yes... I'll fix that eventually. Anyways, REVIEW MY FOLLOWERS! I love the people who review every chapter. You all get gold stars and virtual hugs. Bear hugs, really. **

**Disclaimer: My name's not JK Rowling, I'm simply an avid worshipper of her work.**

Hermione examined the kitchen carefully, taking in the wooden cabinets, the sunken sink and the immaculate marble countertops. Her stockings slipped on the hardwood floor as she followed the real estate agent around the kitchen table. Draco stood behind her, wearing a grey suit fresh from work.

At lunch that day, Draco interrupted Hermione's ritual of eating and working at the same time with breathless exuberance. He told her that he had found the house he wanted to buy and that they had a meeting with a real estate agent right away. They had half-walked half-ran to the floo network fireplaces and transported themselves to the house within minutes.

The real estate agent, a young blonde witch, had been in contact with Draco for weeks and had finally found "the house" for the Malfoy-Granger household. It was out of the middle of Diagon Alley, but still within walk of all the shops, and their work. The witch, Mae, introduced Hermione and Draco to the 3 bedroom 2 bathroom house that she believed would change their lives.

In the previous weeks, Hermione had seen one bedroom lofts and 6 bedroom mansions, but none felt right to her. The lofts felt too small and the mansion felt like a Malfoy mansion replica, but when she saw this new house, sitting so perfectly on a bed of fresh grass and shaded by giant trees, she knew it was right.

The exterior was a mix of light stone and raw wooden panels, and each large window was framed by a clean wooden border with boxes at the bottom, holding dark green foliage and the most perfect pink flowers Hermione had ever seen. As soon as the cream coloured front door opened and the hard wood floor and pastel painted walls were exposed, Hermione reached over and squeezed Draco's arm enthusiastically.

Hermione had always dreamed of this house. As a child, she had lived in a spacious family home with a big bedroom and a generous backyard full of every adventure she could think of. This new house reminded her of her childhood and the wonderful memories associated with it. She knew that Draco couldn't understand how important this house was her, but she intended to show him.

When they entered the master bedroom on the second floor, Hermione's voice was caught in her throat. She couldn't say anything. Her small attempt at a room of luxury in her flat was nothing compared to the splendor of this true suite. The windows faced the backyard and lined the walls; they were covered in a gauzy white material that felt like spider webs. Upon further inspection, Hermione realized that there was a sliding glass door attached and a balcony outside. The biggest thrill to Hermione was the King Sized bed in the middle of the side wall. She had always imagined a bed with those dimensions, those 1500 thread count sheets and in particular, the fluffy white pillows that hid under the mountain of pale blue cushions.

Draco was inspecting the furniture carefully and feeling the materials as if he needed to find a mistake, this was too perfect. A bleached wooden bookshelf sprawled across the length of the wall opposite the windows, and an armchair sat to the side, welcoming Hermione. She knew that she was home when she found the swimming pool sized bath and the tiled walk through steam shower.

"This is... incredible." Hermione breathed slowly. Draco followed her into the bathroom and she knew that he agreed with her.

"Mae, will you let us talk for a moment?" Draco asked kindly. She obliged.

"Draco, this is our house." Hermione whispered quickly.

"Hermione, we haven't seen all the houses."

"Draco, you want this as much as I do. Just say it." Hermione smiled and punched his arm.

He kissed her.

"Of course I do. I just don't want to make decisions prematurely. This is our future." Draco took her hand and rubbed it absentmindedly with his thumb.

"I know, moron." Hermione laughed. "This is the house we need."

"You're not afraid that it's too big for what we need?"  
"Well your mansion was pretty big. This is practically a cabin compared to it. Besides…" She blushed furiously, "What about… in our future… um…" she tried to avoid eye contact.

"Ah, yes." He laughed loudly. "Well this is it?"

Hermione felt like affirming this statement would be the beginning of something bigger than a roommate contract. She remembered the look on Ron's face when she left his flat. She remembered every time that Draco was awful to them. She remembered Harry at Hogwarts, and her whole life was there. Her dreams and her hopes and everything she had ever done flashed before her eyes and she realized that she wanted nothing more than to live in that house. But then she remembered Fred and she remembered her engagement, and she faltered.

"This means more than just a casual relationship, doesn't it?" She whispered in response.

He leaned in and held her face in his hands. "Hermione, you get to be happy. That's all I want. You can take as much time as you want to decide what you want. I just want you to know that if you want me to go, I will. If you want me to stay, I'm yours."

"Do you mean that? You'll let me have time to think?" Hermione held back her emotions.

"Of course. You get to be happy." Draco paused, his mouth hanging open, his eyes saying that he still had something to say. "I love you."

The words reverberated around the bathroom tiles. Hermione realized that this was it. Those three small words made all the difference. She breathed heavily.

"Hermione?" Draco grabbed her arm. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fantastic," but tears were already welling up in her eyes. "Draco? I want this house. I want this future."

"Fred won't get in the way of it?"  
"Pansy won't get in the way of it?"

"Are you sure that you want this?"

"Draco, if I wasn't sure… I wouldn't be here now with you looking at our house. Our house." A crash was heard downstairs, and then muttered profanities from Mae. "Oh," Hermione laughed and tears started to fall, "I love you too."

"So this is ours?"

"Let's do it."

**Hey Guys. I'm currently listening to "The Last Five Years" a musical by Jason Robert Brown. And this chapter was based off of the song "The Schmuel Song". Here's my inspiration:**

"**You get to be happy  
I give you unlimited time"**

**And**

"**Take a breath  
Take a step  
Take a chance  
Take your time.  
Have I mentioned today  
How lucky I am,  
To be in love with you."**

**Love. Love. Love. It's all you need ;)**

**G'night. Review.**

**INSLEEP.**


	11. We Think He Met Someone

**Crash Into Me**

**Oh hey there group! I've been gone for a while because I got a new laptop (Mac ;)) so I've been transferring all my files and music and photos. But I think I'm back for a bit to write you a new chapter of our loves. SO I've been having the worst, busiest week of my life, so this should be a fun experience, writing like this.**

**Disc: This isn't mine, still, sadly. Harry Potter and it's characters belong to J.K. Rowling. **

***Please Review for me? I like to know the general feelings towards my chapters.**

Chapter 11:

Hermione decided that the time had come to tell her friends about Draco. She had let slip that she moved out of her flat and into a house, but no one knew the circumstances under which she moved. Hermione's parents also didn't know what she was doing, so she decided that she was going to come clean to everyone. Draco agreed wholeheartedly and even made the effort to move her belongings out of their boxes and into the living room before the housewarming party.

Hermione was getting used to the delicious sheets and the wide-open spaces that she couldn't fill. She would sit on her chair on her balcony and wait for Draco to come home from work while reading her encyclopedia on magical maladies. She took time off of work to "adjust" while the couple discussed how they would return to work together. In the end, they decided to keep their relationship a secret until they could work out employment.

Draco was also slowly coming to terms with the new arrangement. He had always been cautious when it came to other people and his money, but he didn't seem to care if Hermione had it all, as long as he had Hermione. However, Hermione could tell that something was wrong with Draco; there was something on his mind that she couldn't read on his face.

On the day that their friends were supposed to arrive, Draco finally told her. They were seated at the kitchen table, she was overseeing the magical preparation of the food, and he was filling in paperwork. Out of the blue, he said, "Pansy had her baby. A little girl."

Hermione didn't know how to respond. So she didn't.

"I saw her, I wondered if she would look like Blaise… or if there was some chance…" His face clouded over. "There was no chance that baby was mine." He sighed. "She's a tiny little brown thing. Perfect little black eyes like Blaise, but very light hair like Pansy. It is the oddest thing."

Hermione let the silence stand.

"So are you happy for her… or upset that it's not yours?"

"I guess when she announced her pregnancy all those months ago, I hoped that maybe I could be a father, despite the obvious fact that she's not mine. I thought love could carry us through, you know?" He didn't look up. "But I'm happier now. I am. Please don't take this the wrong way. It's just hard for me."

"I know" Hermione almost whispered. "Where is Pansy? Still at the manor?"

"Yes. Last I heard Blaise was there too… and now the baby." Draco paused. "Hermione, something is going on in that house, I've been really uneasy lately and Blaise hasn't contacted me in months. We used to talk weekly."

"Draco he knows that he was wrong to take Pansy from you…"

"No, he pretended like that never happened… he talked to me on the day of the Christmas party where we…" Draco smiled. He remembered that night with the most fond of memories, but he couldn't shake the feeling of dread. "He's doing something."

"What aren't you telling me Draco?" Hermione let her wand drop and the carrots that were being chopped fell to the floor. "What do you not want to tell me?"

Draco shifted uncomfortably.

"After the war…Blaise didn't let go of the whole Anti-Muggle thing. Now I know that we now have laws and everything seems to be at peace, but I feel like he's acting out against Muggle borns and Halfbloods."

"How so?" Hermione felt a chill in her abdomen; she thought she had destroyed the hate.

"I don't know yet, but before I made the choice to join society as a 'good guy', he approached me about carrying on the legacy, I said that there was no way, and he never talked about it to me again." Hermione tried to comprehend his story. "But if he has moved into the manor and he has stopped contacting me… I'm worried he may have found followers."

"Why haven't you told me this, Draco, why is this suddenly a huge surprise? What are you not telling me?" Hermione found herself yelling in the open kitchen.

"I went to the hospital to see Pansy and the baby…" A silence fell and Hermione stiffened. "He was there. He said something."

"What did he say?"

"He asked me who I was sharing my new house with… I wouldn't tell him… so he told me to watch out, because there has been an increase in attacks among Muggle-Borns and Halfbloods. I told him I knew no such thing. He told me that it was a good thing… that there were too many Halfbloods in Britain." Draco looked anywhere but Hermione.

"This can't happen. Not again. Blaise isn't even that intelligent, he barely passed his O.W.L's!" Hermione felt cold and numb, the half prepared meal sitting expectantly on the kitchen table. The peeler started poking her hand, waiting to do something, but she barely noticed. "Who still believes in these things?"

"There is still a group. A group of people who will do anything to remain pure." There was an uncomfortable pause. "I would never ever support this, Hermione. I love you. I want to put an end to this."

"Should we tell Harry and Ron tonight? Harry may be able to help?"

"Yes. We will." Draco tried to change the subject. "What are we eating tonight?"

"Vegetable and meat pies. Do we have wine, by any chance?"

Draco nodded got up with a last look at Hermione.

When Harry arrived with Ginny and the kids, Hermione's heart almost burst. It beat with a force akin to a super speed quidditch broom and she almost didn't open the door for fear of throwing up her lunch onto her guests.

Ginny smiled and hugged Hermione tightly. Harry kissed her cheek and handed her a basket of flowers that came from Ginny's garden. They were stunning and perfect. Hermione wanted to arrange them right away, but there were more pressing matters to discuss.

"SO! Hermione, who are we meeting tonight, huh? Who is your mystery man?" Ginny smiled and poked Hermione softly in the side. Her kids we walking around, respectful as ever, looking at the light walls and sparse artwork.

"Oh. Yes. I suppose that's why you're here, right. Where's Ron?" Hermione tried to buy time. Draco was waiting upstairs for her to call him down.

"He'll be here soon, he forgot his gift." Ginny laughed. "Spoiler Alert, it's more flowers. We have so many blooming in the yard. I love early summer!" Hermione smiled and noticed that Ginny's abdomen was swollen and protruded just slightly. The third baby was definitely on its way. Suddenly, Hermione felt hope, she knew what she and Draco needed to do.

A light pop drew Hermione out of reverie, Ron stood on the front porch, an abundance of flowers in his hand. "Hermione! Oi!" He raced into the house and hugged her tightly. "I haven't seen you in weeks! This is a beautiful house, who are you seeing to live in this place!" Hermione had never heard him so happy and she was suspicious. She cast a questioning glance at Ginny who responded by shrugging.

"We think he met someone." Was all she said.

"So?" Ron sounded expectant. "Where is he?"

"Oh, right. You can come down!" She called up to Draco. She heard his footsteps and braced herself. He was the last person anyone would guess and she was nervous for the feelings of her old friends. So much had changed since Hogwarts and she wanted everything to work out like she'd planned so long ago.

His paled head peered over the banister and he started to descend. Only she could see him until Harry, Ron and Ginny turned their heads to see the man that Hermione was in love with.

"Hey guys." He said sheepishly.


	12. AUTHOR'S NOTE!

**Crash Into Me**

**Author's Note – You're going to detest me :D**

**If you've read Stupefied, and you know my style, you know that I don't like happy endings. You know that I don't write what you all want me to. SO I'm going to say here: I don't want to ruin your little hearts or minds in the next few chapters. But if you love my fluff, you will hate the next few chaps ;) **

**I want to give Hermione a fair shot at love, and she'll get one, so calm down. But in the next section, it will be intense and you will all be mortified and want to Adava Kedavra my ass into next week. **

**I hope you all tune in.**

**I love you, duckies. **

**Please Review as per usual.**

**Also, I'd like to take this time to thank EVRYONE who has reviewed and perhaps address some things, HERE WE GO:**

**Thank you : K, crystalight22, Hp-Twil-Fan, M., Squirmy Worm, , voldyismyfather, A, Cristinne, Goose1998, Kinthinia, XxNeverxLosexHopexX, mimic121, sarenelsoria. **

**Okay so, M.- this story has never had 17 ch, I try to keep the stories short and reasonable, the worst is when you have 90 chapters and people just don't want to read that much fanfic. **

**And crystalight22- ooooo yes again ;)**

**I love you all, and good night.**

**InSleep.**


	13. Darling, I do

**Crash Into Me**

**So we left off at the beginning of Hermione's dinner party, ooh lala. Then I went to see Shrek Forever After, and I fell in love with that lovely Dreamworks movie ALL over again. And now I have a new favourite song too!**

**Darling I do – Landon Pigg and Lucy Schwartz.**

_**I know plenty of people with eyes closed/**_

_**They don't see you like I do/**_

_**Darling I do/**_

_**Darling I do/**_

_**See you.**_

**So yes, here we go, the chapters are now going to become a tad horrifying for you all.**

**ALSO, Hp-Twil-Fan – I totally know that people write super long stories and that they're just as good as the short ones, but personally, I'm a fan of the shorter more accessible stories, so I try to keep mine simple :)**

**INSCHLEEP.**

**Disc: Nope, Harry Potter still doesn't belong to me. Nor does Shrek. Or Darling I do.**

Hermione repositioned her head on Draco's bare chest. The night wind blew through the light curtains and into their bedroom, washing them in the softest promise of summer. The candles were extinguished and the dishes were cleaned. Hermione felt accomplished and happy in her nest of pleasure and simplicity. It had been a week since her friends had learned her secret and she was enormously relieved.

Ginny had been the first to speak when Draco appeared.

"Wait. All this time we suspected that you had reunited with Cormac or something, what with the rumors surrounding you and a blonde. We never even… how did we miss this?" She looked genuinely confused.

"Wow, this makes sense now." That was from Harry on her left. "Way to go, Draco." He extended his hand and they shook politely, almost as if they had been friends in school. "I hope you're treating her right." He chuckled.

Draco smiled and moved closer to Hermione. "Trust me, it's me you should be worried for, this girl has the arm of a beater. Almost broke my nose in third year, remember?"

Ron was the last one to speak. He looked at Draco expectantly and back to Hermione. "Eh, it's alright." Ron shrugged. "Not what I would have wanted for her, but seeing as we wouldn't have worked out, glad it's you." He clapped Draco on the shoulder. "Shall we eat?"

And with that, Hermione became herself again. She laughed at dinner, asked about the baby preparations and even played with Rose until her voice grew hoarse. At midnight, the group still hadn't finished their teas. Rose was lying on Hermione's new sofa, her little grubby hands clutching one of Hermione's favourite pillows. James had fallen asleep in Draco's lap with his thumb in his mouth. Hermione watched with enormous pride in her chest as Draco rubbed James' back subconsciously. The whole scene was too perfect for Hermione and she wanted that to become her reality. She knew that she wanted a family, and when she caught Draco's eyes, she knew he did too.

When her friends left in the early hours of the morning, Hermione turned to Draco and flung her arms around his neck. "I want kids." She said loudly.

He kissed her forehead. "Me too. But first Hermione, you need to promise me something."

"Anything." She leaned in to redirect the kiss. "Anything, I'm all yours."

"Oh perfect." Draco stepped back and looked at her seriously. "Okay, I'm very ill prepared Hermione, so bear with me." He kneeled slowly. "Hermione, we now own a house together, I have met your friends officially, and I love every tiny little thing about you that you could possibly imagine. You have saved me. Around you, everything is brighter and things are better and I can't imagine what I was doing ever being with Pansy. I love you." He was looking right at her. "Hermione, will you please marry me?"

Naturally, she agreed.

Her life was going perfectly, and as she lay with him in bed, she thought about how lucky she was to have him and to have her family and her friends. She knew that he was awake because of his shallow breathing, but they didn't need to speak. Not when everything was already perfect.

…

Their sleep was interrupted early the next morning by a knock on the door. Draco got up first, Hermione stayed in bed. Draco disappeared for a few moments onto the second floor landing then hurried back into their room. "Hermione!" he tried to yell and whisper at the same time. "You need to stay in here, in bed, hide." He ran over and tried to conceal Hermione from the bay windows. "It's Blaise at the door. He can't know that you're here." He sealed the room with a flick of his wand and locked the door with even less hassle.

Hermione, who hadn't had time to react, was nestled under the covers, straining to hear what the men were talking about on the floor below. Finally, they spoke loudly enough that she should pick up the majority of their conversation. Blaise was speaking.

"Who are you even staying with, my man?"

"Blaise, don't you think it's rude that you burst into my home, unannounced at this hour while you have left your girlfriend and newborn daughter at home?" Draco sounded sarcastic and cold. Hermione remembered that that was how he used to be.

"Oh they'll be alright for a couple of hours. Let's go do something, take in some Quidditch down at the pitch or something?" Blaise sounded too eager.

"No, Blaise, I'm very sorry but I'm meeting someone for breakfast this morning, it's for work. I can't miss any more meetings or I get demoted and I can't really cope with that."

"Oh, alright. Well no worries, I'll write you soon." The sound of chairs scraping on the wooden floor reached Hermione. "Listen, who ARE you living with?"

"That's none of your business, Blaise. I'll tell you when we're ready to be public."

Hermione froze. There was something wrong.

"Oh, well Draco I need to remind you about this. If you ever wanted to join me with petitioning the ministry about half bloods and muggle born-"

"Blaise?" Draco sounded livid. "I'm not joining your group of morons."

"Alright. But tell all your Mudblood friends to watch themselves." Blaise slammed the door. Or maybe it was Draco, Hermione wasn't sure. But she did know that Draco was right, Blaise was starting another uprising.

…

Hermione knew that Harry was aware of the situation and that he was looking into anything suspicious happening the Malfoy manor. So far, he had been unsuccessful in finding anything about Blaise, but there had been a spike in attacks on non-pureblood wizards. They didn't seem to correlate, but Harry was keeping an eye on the statistics so that he could interfere if he needed to.

…

July was approaching when Hermione finally unpacked her last box of pictures. In addition to their own childhood and important photographs, Hermione and Draco had purchased many remarkable paintings and had hired a photographer to take some pictures of the couple in their manicured backyard.

Once the boxes were stored, Hermione and Draco sat with glasses of wine on their balcony. Draco's stressed work life was taking a toll on his appearance. Hermione noticed the dark lines under his eyes and around his mouth. He had lost his usual glowing complexion and he looked paler than usual. She decided that she had to go back to work to work with him and ease his stress.

"Draco. I think I want to return to work."

He looked elated. "Hermione, you don't need to, but if you would, I'd be eternally grateful." He sipped his wine and leaned over to kiss her cheek. "It's been a zoo. Claire has been taking some of your clients, but most of them are being deposited on me."

"Is Roma mad? That I'm taking this leave?" Hermione had pled a mental health absence, and Roma had complied.

"Oh no, she's just mad that we can't get more patients through the office. Hermione if you came back, she'd welcome you back instantly. Just come in tomorrow."

"We can't tell anyone… about us." Hermione smiled. "Maybe if we talk to Roma later? But for now can we just keep our jobs?"

"Sounds like a plan." He put his glass down and reached for Hermione to get closer. She moved in and searched his eyes, he was tired and frustrated, but she recognized happiness and passion there too. She kissed his lips softly and it felt like she was in school again. He deepened the kiss and got out of his chair, taking her with him.

Their bodies wound around each other as he stumbled in the warm darkness to the bed. Hermione could hear the birds outside, chirping and fussing. She could also hear the cicadas in the yard. However, the only thing she could hear in her room was the tandem beating of two hearts as they crashed into each other.


	14. Tad, There Is A Toilet Waiting For You

**Crash Into Me**

**Scurryfunger, I like the way you think. Impending doom is probably my favourite thing in a story ;) **

**Crystalight, They assumed. Roma assumed, but they were never confirmed. Perhaps they will in this chapter... I just kinda wing it ;)**

**Jasmeet, shanks :) I like reviewers like you!**

**I'm watching TV and an add for KD just came on and now I'm super super hungry. On top of that, GET THIS: I have to write up a French essay and a Philosophy essay, and they're both on reality. But In one I have to defend reality and prove that I'm real, and in the other, I have to prove that reality is not a true concept. **

**You can see how I have so much time to write these ;)**

**.**

In the end, Hermione had a feeling that everyone had guessed. While they did not partake in public displays of affection, she and Draco were incredibly intimate in the way that they communicated that must have been blatantly obvious. Roma didn't ask, neither did Claire. It was Tad who did the dirty deed as he helped Hermione sort through her mountain of paperwork. She had been off for 3 weeks and 4 days, a record for her. Draco had popped his head into her office to ask her if she wanted tea, then left with some colleagues to a call in Diagon Ally. Tad smiled and looked at Hermione through his lashes, cheeky as usual.

"So what's with you and the Slytherin king, ma'am?" He asked, almost sarcastically.

"Tad, fold that paper."

"You guys seem pretty close…"

"Tad, that's not folding, you're making origami."

"Origami is the art of folding paper. I'm folding the paper, Hermione."

"Okay fine."

A brief silence followed, then Tad returned to being a pest.

"Hermione, come on, we've worked together for years now. You're turning 24; you have to have someone in your life right? And we have a bit of a feeling here that it's Malfoy." He stuffed a crooked letter into the cream envelope that she had given him.

"Tad?" Hermione smiled. "I'm going to tell you something."

Tad leaned in, expecting his story, and all the juicy details.

"Tad, if you ask me about Draco once more time," Hermione took out her wand quickly. "I'll hex you until you can't see straight." She laughed lightly and he joined in, relieved that the strain was broken. Then she stopped and looked at him.

"I'm not kidding. Go clean the toilet."

"Hermione! We're just cur-"

"Tad, there is a toilet waiting for you. Please go."

"But-"

"GO."

After he left with the cleaning supplies, Hermione giggled, trying to remember the last time she'd had that much fun. It came back to her. The day before she left the Burrow with Ron and Harry when they were 17. They were playing Quidditch in the yard; Hermione, Harry and George on one side, Fred, Ginny and Ron on the other. Fred's broom had taken a nosedive and Hermione had slammed into Ginny, causing them to fall on top of Fred and causing to come outside and yell at any redhead in the yard.

Hermione's life had become darker. She knew that this was simply a byproduct of war and that she would never be the same, she would never feel the same lightness, but she also knew that she wasn't going to be in the darkness forever. She wasn't scared anymore.

…

Hermione returned to her schedule happily. She worked daily and went home at 4. Draco would come home a couple of hours later and they would dine and read books. Hermione realized that her passion for books returned with rigor when she moved into the new house. Collectively, she and Draco owned more than 500 books that they kept in shelves that touched the ceiling in their parlor.

One night, Hermione was preparing dinner for the couple when there was a knock at the door. She dried off her hands and silently cursed Draco for forgetting his key again. Her wand lay discarded on the countertop.

She opened her front door expecting to see her blonde fiancé looking sheepishly at her because of his forgetfulness, but what she saw made her blood whoosh in her ears. Blaise Zabini stood alone on the front porch.

"Blaise, er, hello." Hermione felt the adrenaline pumping. She needed to get to her wand.

"Hermione!" He looked as shocked as she felt. "So you're her… you're the girl Draco … oh…" She needed to get to her wand.

"Blaise! Won't you come inside, would you like something to drink?" She needed to get to her wand.

"Oh, yes. Lovely house you've got." Blaise took a step in, covering the doorway and closed the door meaningfully behind him. "Anything's okay Hermione, tea is preferred." She needed to get to her wand.

She nodded and led him into the kitchen where she slipped her wand into her sweater pocket and gripped it firmly. "I'm sorry about the mess, Blaise, it's been difficult lately, keeping a clean house and working."

"No problem, Hermione." She hated the way he said her name, like he tasted it. "So how long has the thing between you and Draco been happening?" He asked, obviously not caring.

"Blaise, this is none of your business." Her temper got the better of her. She should have complied with his question.

"Hermione, Hermione." She felt him move closer to her, as her back was turned. "Draco hasn't changed. He's still the pureblood wizard from 3rd year. You can't tell me that you believe his 'magic transformation', do you?"

"He's not pretending with me, Blaise. We have an understanding."

"So you know that he's interested in joining a group of wizards who are trying to eliminate the non purebloods, right?" His voice was soft and dangerous.

"No." Hermione said slowly. "I don't believe he is." She turned to face him. "Blaise, I know that you are jealous of him, that you could never match his intelligence and his popularity, but to say things like that about him, that's wrong." She felt her defenses rising. "You are his friend. You should not be telling me lies. He would never hurt me." Her voice shook as she said that. She had heard them; she knew that it wasn't Draco. "I know that he taking no part in the extermination of non purebloods. I also know that Harry Potter is aware of the whole situation, and I also know that you are the leader." She spat the last part out as brutally as she could.

The next events occurred so quickly; Hermione barely had time to blink. His wand was out and then hers was. He murmured a spell but she screamed first. His wand went flying. He grabbed her arm and she tried to break free, to do anything to get away. He managed to summon his wand back and pointed it at her chest.

Her wand arm was immobile, held by Blaise's steel grip. She was defenseless against him and she knew it; an involuntary cry came from her mouth. She felt the tip of his wand coming closer to her neck. Then his hand was wrapped around her neck and she was suffocating.

"You think you know Draco, Miss Granger?" Blaise laughed. "He's no better than the rest of us. Have you seen his arm?" He shook her roughly. "He's the one with the Dark Mark tattooed into his skin, he's the one branded."

"He's a good man." She cried, her voice was hoarse.

"You're the girl who fought off hundreds, aren't you , Granger? So where is your fight now?" Blaise laughed again, cruelly. "You're smart, Granger, but you're a Mudblood, and for that I'm sorry, but you must go."

Hermione closed her eyes and remembered everything. She felt lightheaded, she knew that the air was being cut off to her head and she knew she was still suffocating. She didn't want to think about what Draco was going to find when he came home, but she knew that she had been happy. She was going to die.

"Fine, Zabini. Kill me." Her words rang in her ears, bright dots appeared in her vision.

A light flashed, a crash was heard.

"Avada Kedavra."

…

**Whoa… what just happened?**

**There's a button below this diatribe and you can click it. It says "review this chapter" then you write about how much you love me (AHAHHA JOKING) and then I love my life and I feel happy enough to buy a cookie or something ;)**


	15. Fred

**Crash Into Me**

**:D**

**I had like, a super bad day today. So the fact that you're all upset about the last chapter, in a sick way, makes me kind of happy that I'm not the only sad one. **

**My best friend and I are no more… THERE, I said it :(**

**I was in a very bad place for a while.**

**But then I took a run. And I'm more at peace with the world.**

**And the hopeful little girl inside of me is still alive, barely, so maybe I'll spin you a tale of happiness. Maybe.**

**InSleep.**

Hermione was floating.

The light was so intense that she couldn't open her eyes the whole way without grimacing. She could only see the white clouds around her.

Her subconscious told her that she was dead.

It hadn't hurt at all, she just felt lightheaded and everything disappeared. She thought that she would die in a more noble way, by a death eater, or a wall falling from Hogwarts. She wondered what Draco was thinking, if he was even home yet.

_Draco_. She would have felt sad if she could have felt anything. She didn't want to leave him. She didn't mind dying, but she didn't want him to be alone again in that big house. She wished for a moment that she could see him again, so that she could remember his details perfect, but then she couldn't regret, what was done was done.

What bothered Hermione slightly was that she could never stop Blaise. He was going to begin an uprising, and she, one third of the Golden Trio, couldn't stop a moronic 24 year old. Although she knew that she could never take back the time, she wished that she would have never opened that door, or that she had hexed him into an oblivion when she had a chance. She was the only one with the knowledge of who had done that to her.

But something wasn't right for her. She thought that she would have felt more of a sense accomplishment and knowledge. She was a little bit disappointed because she felt like she had when she was alive; she was still confused and wondering what was happening to her. Weren't all the answers of life supposed to appear in front of her?

She had never contemplated what being dead was like. It felt empty, lonely and confusing. At least she hadn't suffered, she kept telling herself. Draco would suffer. Draco would suffer until he died. Hermione knew the wounds that a dead loved one would leave. Fred.

It wasn't until she thought of him that he appeared.

He was just standing in front of her.

But he wasn't a ghost, he was solid. Hermione rushed forward, she didn't know what was happening but she knew that Fred was real and Fred was there. She collided into his chest and tried to smile, but her mouth wouldn't curl the right way.

"Fred?" She could feel his body, she could feel his skin. He was wearing a white t-shirt and simple jeans. She looked down to see that she was clothed in a white gown.

"Hermione!" He embraced her and she could see his face vividly. His eyes sparkled and his mouth twisted into a mischievous smirk.

"You don't seem to surprised to see me." Hermione stated.

"No, I was waiting for you to arrive… we knew you were coming." Fred tried to lighten the mood, but Hermione could feel the weight of her mortality pressing down on her. This was it, the final chapter of her life. And she was only 23.

Her thoughts were coming out in harsh intervals. It was a struggle to breath.

"What's going on Fred, why aren't I happily floating away in a basket of flowers like the other dead people?" Hermione looked around, desperate to see something to explain.

"Hermione, I think we should talk about this a-"

"Fred! What's going on!" Her heart was racing.

"It's complicated."

"But I'm DEAD aren't I? Do I stay with you, or where do I go?"

"But Hermione, you need to understand that … you don't know what happened. Do you?"

"Well I was killed by Blaise, and Draco's still at work."

"You've been out for the equivalent of 5 days on earth."

"You're not a ghost right now."  
"Hermione it's not what you think."

"I'm staying with you."

"Hermione, you NEED to listen to me!"

"I trust you."

"Hermione, you're not dead."

"Excuse me?"

"You're alive. You're at St. Mungo's."

…

The bright lights of wherever she was shone even brighter. The news that she was alive was almost as shocking as her initial reaction to being dead. She sunk to the ground and tried to walk through what had happened. "Fred how can I forget what happened so easily… How did I end up here?"

Fred explained that Draco had come home in just enough time to see Blaise and Hermione in the kitchen. As Blaise was preparing to kill Hermione, Draco had acted rashly and sent the killing curse straight into Blaise's chest. Blaise fell and so did Hermione. Her current state was thanks to her circulation being cut off when Blaise suffocated her.

Draco had rushed Hermione to the hospital and demanded that she be taken care of immediately. Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing, but she was still confused about why she was talking to a solid version of Fred in a skyless dreamland.

"Well. I can offer you a choice, Hermione." Fred sounded sheepish.

"What kind of choice?"

"You are free to return back to your body and Draco and the rest of your life on the earth. But you may also choose to stay here with me. This is Death, Hermione and you're welcome if you'd like." Fred shrugged. "It's really nice. There's not obligation. But you'd be leaving everyone at home… It's up to you."

Hermione smiled, and this time if worked. It was a slow sad smile.

"Fred." She started, rubbing his forearm lovingly. "I made this decision a while back. I love you so much, and I always will."

Fred lowered his eyes. "But…"

"But I am beginning to understand love a little bit better. And I'm beginning to understand family." Hermione couldn't look him in the eyes. "I'll be back when the time is right. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize, 'Mione!" He laughed. "You've got everything. And you've got a man who really loves you too. He's been sitting at your bedside since you got the hospital."

"How do you know?"

Fred pulled back an imaginary curtain in the white space. A scene appeared. It was Hermione on a hospital bed with Draco lying in a small chair in the corner, just looking at Hermione's lifeless form.

"The healers say you'll be fine. You just need time to recuperate."

"Thank you Fred." Hermione leaned over and kissed his cheek. "What about Draco? He killed a man."

"Yes, but it's Potter in charge, so there was nothing tying Draco to the deed but a wounded fiancée, Harry made sure."

"Oh, then I guess I should be getting back?" Hermione stood up and tried to understand what she must do.

"Go right into the scene, love. They're waiting for you."

Hermione took a couple of steps toward the scene before Fred called out to her again.

"Yes?" She turned, hoping for some more good news, or perhaps something like 'Guess what, I'm not dead anymore!'. Nothing doing.

"I overheard the healers earlier… they didn't tell Draco or anyone, but I thought you should know." Fred stuck his hands in his jeans pockets. "They said that you're going to be fine…"

"Yes?"

"And that the baby's going to be okay."

…

**You all owe me reviews for that one.**

**Writing that happily while I'm sad? You owe me a breakfast burrito and a review. So click that button below this monologue. I WANT YO REVIEWS ;)**


	16. And Promise Not to Promise Anymore

**Crash Into Me**

**Hey all.**

**This is the end of this story, I think.**

**I will be writing others for your enjoyment. Perhaps some more of my favourite couples, but I can't promise much for you folks tonight.**

**Here we go.**

**INSLEEP**

**Disclaimer – I don't own Harry Potter or any affiliated logos ;) **

Dear Fred,

Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and realize that you're dead. Sometimes I expect you to be the one that comes home from work on a Friday night and takes us out to dinner.

But the fact of the matter is that you're not. I remember when you told me to go out and get going with my life, but the truth of the matter is that you will always be a part of my life. You are always going to be that boy that inspired me, but Draco will always be that man who saved me.

Every time I tell Jack to pick up his toys or stop blowing bubbles in his pumpkin juice, I remember when I was 17 and stupid and in love with you. It's no longer a heavy feeling though, it's a feeling of lovely reminiscence and fond sentiment.

I'm sure you've heard that Ron and Pansy are engaged. When Draco killed Blaise, Pansy finally revealed that she had also secretly been seeing Ron. As much as I pity the poor bugger, I can't help but feel happy for him, he seems content with his lot.

I'm 26 now and I haven't seen you in a little while. You've been gone from Hogwarts but from what I understand, you're living in a portrait in Beauxbatons, perhaps to look at the lovely women there? Who knows? But when you return to your rightful space in my world, would you let me know?

The second baby is on her way. We've decided to name her Astrid after Draco's favourite grandmother.

My life is better than I ever thought it could be. And I love you for this. Without you, I don't know if I could have learned to love again. Because the truth is, I'm in love with everything about my life. I'm thankful for my husband, my son, my soon to be born daughter, and my ghost of a best friend.

You were the most frustrating person in my life for a very long time, and sometimes I just wanted to smack your face off, but you've changed me. So thank you so much. I wouldn't be half the witch I am today without your love and your constant reminders of how much better and how much stronger we can be with the right bit of inspiration and humor.

I hope this gets to you.

If not, I hope whoever reads this will realize how great life is.

Because it is.

Love,

Hermione Malfoy.

_**And if you come around again/**_

_**Then I will take/**_

_**Yes I will take/**_

_**The chain from off the door/**_

**I know you all hate me.**

**But sometimes we just need to be left wanting more.**

**xo**

**InSleepHeSangToMe.**


End file.
